Interlude
by alaricnomad
Summary: Peter/Claire. Peter stops in for a visit. ONESHOT.


The silence was comfortable, but not quite what she wanted.

Claire took a moment to watch her uncle sitting Indian-style beside her bed, his eyes scanning back and forth over the open book in his hands. His forehead was wrinkled in concentration, as dark eyes, solemn and quiet, studied the print across the pages. During their time together in New York the year before, she hadn't been surprise to learn his love for reading. And through the various emails and phone calls they'd shared since the previous summer, she'd picked up his preferences for classic literature and strangely enough, mystery novels. It gave her a warm, pleased feeling she didn't bother to analyze that she knew him well enough to give him a Christmas gift he was so enthusiastic about. His smile had been heart-melting, lighting up his eyes and bringing a kind of glow to his handsome features.

It was six in the morning, half an hour since he had appeared rapping on her window. He'd tucked himself into the bedroom, greeting her with a kiss and a warm "Merry Christmas." With a fond smile of remembrance, she toyed with the necklace around her neck. The feel of the diamond pendant was foreign but welcome as it dropped back into place against her skin, knowing if she looked down, she'd see the subtle twinkle of tiny emeralds matching her eyes.

Had he really snuck into her room on Christmas morning just for this?

She shifted uncomfortably, her traitorous eyes continuing to stray to him no matter her conscious intention. The soft sound of the mattress creaking beneath her broke through the quiet of the room, and caught his attention, his eyes leaving the book to settle on her. "Claire?"

Taking a deep breath to gather her courage, she turned her head to face him again. "Peter…I missed you," she said softly.

Peter looked at her for a long moment, but didn't say a word, holding one hand out to her as he got to his feet. Claire tentatively placed her hand in his, their fingers interlacing. She found herself being drawn to him as he let himself fall forward on the bed, enveloping her into his arms.

Head resting against the crook of her neck, face hidden in her hair, Peter sighed, his warm breath brushing against her cheek as he whispered back, "I missed you too."

Claire wrapped her arms around him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. With one arm firmly around her waist, he rolled over onto his back, taking her with him. As his eyes closed, she watched as his face began to relax, smoothing over worry lines etched into the profiles of his face, and the tautness easing from the muscles beneath her.

She sighed with relief as she felt the tension fading from his body, reaching down to touch her fingers to his cheek. She gently traced the line of his nose, and the arc of each eyebrow, brushing her thumbs down the smooth skin of his cheeks, and the line of his jaw and chin. A face she felt she had known forever, a face she knew better than her own. Thick lashes fluttered over warm brown eyes, opening up at her alight with a warm fire that was so entirely Peter.

He kissed her fingertips, his lips smooth and warm against her fingers. "Hi."

Gracing him with a gentle smile, she folded her arms across his chest to peer down at him. "Hi."

"How long do you figure we have until your dad comes to wake you up?"

He reached up to cup her cheek, stroking the smooth skin with the pad of his thumb. Claire leaned into his touch as she let a small sound of contentment. "We've probably got an hour."

"Too bad." Seeing her faint smile, he couldn't help one of his own. "Stay with me until then?"

"Yeah." She leaned down until they were nose to nose. "Question, though."

"Shoot."

"That might be something to worry about later." She shifted again, drawing up so she was straddling him. "How willing would you be to risk it?"

"Hmm." He leaned up, slipping an arm around her hips to pull her back to him. "He pulls out that gun, I'll survive." With a wave of his fingers, she heard the lock on her door click into place. "I loved the book, but is there anything else I get for Christmas?"

She gave him a coy smile, rocking teasingly against him. "Depends if you're ready to unwrap it."

"Oh, I'm ready," The different dynamics flowed between them as smooth and fluid as water; as family, smiles and presents exchanged for holidays; as that indefinable something, a serious, quiet closeness; as lovers, rare time to play and flirt and take to the bed.

She pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, but he caught her chin in his hand, holding her lips to his and he kissed her. Gentle at first, mild as a brother's kiss, and then it became something more. A shock that jolted through her, a heat that enveloped her as she leaned into his embrace. His arms across her back were strong and unyielding as he held her tightly to him, but still gentle in their demand. He kissed her in a way that made her his, in a way that both thrilled and soothed her, and he turned her over onto her back, levering himself over her.

As he parted his mouth from hers, he planted feather-light kisses along the line of her jaw and chin, and down to her neck, nuzzling his nose against the hollow between neck and shoulder. He exhaled…the moist breath a warm caress against her skin. His hands skimmed from her shoulders and downward, tracing lazy patterns down her bare arms, stopping to meet the hem of her pajama bottoms at her waistline. Slowly, deliberately, he pulled up the top she was wearing, and touched his fingers to the soft skin of her stomach.

She pulled back just enough to watch him, intrigued, as his eyes locked on his hands as if mesmerized, following every motion as he ever so carefully caressed her mid-drift. He smiled- a strange, thoughtful smile she didn't have time to decipher, before he bent his head and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss near her navel. He nipped at her hip and she jumped. "Peter…" she breathed out his name, scraping her nails against his neck, "Stop teasing."

He didn't so much as blink as she forced his head up, hands clenching into fists through his hair. They kissed, teeth clashing before they had a chance to open to each other. Peter angled his mouth over hers in firm, caressing kisses, drawing back when she sought to deepen them and earned a disgruntled moan in return. He kissed her again, catching her bottom lip between her teeth. "Shh, sweetheart, slow down. This is my present, remember?"

She huffed, but didn't protest as he teased and nipped until she was flushed and panting, mouth rosy and swollen. Claire tangled her fingers once more through his hair, and he surrendered. Another deep kiss and his tongue plunged into her mouth. His hands cupped the back of her knees and guided her legs to wrap around his waist, stroking and caressing her mouth until a pleading moan rose up in the back of her throat. Supporting his weight on one arm, he ran up his other arm to touch her. He cupped the underside of her breast, dragging his thumb across the sensitive flesh.

She tightened her legs around his waist, grinding her hips hard against his. They broke apart, breathing hard as she ripped at his t-shirt, her hands small and warm against him as they caressed the subtle musculature of his body. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other, Claire moving her hand to comb his hair out of his face. "Merry Christmas, Peter."

He smiled, leaning down to gently kiss her as her hands went to his belt-buckle. "Merry Christmas, Claire."


End file.
